Hot town, Crepes in the city

[bigTillyMint]

I think Jamie Bells ears are bigger! And DSs hair is lighter (though he is sporting a 1980s barnet!), and his jaw a teeny bit widea, but he looks a bit like him in the pics of JB aged about 18 which I am incapable of linking to

Scuppered on sundowner front as it is raining Though still hot However no we get to try the huge complimentary umbrellas! Not sure how we'll fit them down the street with the mad traffic/pedestrians

Auriga, who has raised this man with such well honed domestic skills? I am trying but failing to teach mine the noble art of loading the dishwasher. Bin is advanced homecare. Brilliant.

Stropps, you have done so much for DD - you can't go in her place and at some point she has to take the plunge. Re your shape I can't imagine you are a funnier shape that the rest of us. I think sizing is all to pot in many shops and some envisage people having smaller busts, larger waist, shorter arms etc for each size. Thanks again for those handwriting books you suggested for DS, BTW. After 6m or so working on it, he has improved so much. Whilst not exactly calligraphy quite yet, it is so much better and on the way to catching up with his peers. He also feels a lot cheerier about it. Thanks again .

BTM, I made a fab cake from Nigellissima the other week. It is an Italian yoghurt pot cake and you can measure the whole thing out by filling up the yoghurt pot and throwing in the bowl. Really easy and completely delicious. I will dig it out.

I am on a quest for non marking trainers today for DD1. Still haven't labelled any uniform yet. Must get cracking.

Rudy, I hope you have had some rest and that today brings better news for you. Thinking of you all.

Nigella's yoghur pot cake

We are going to need a new thread soon. Did we decide on a title?

Welcome to all the lurkers and new people. Please do stay around and join in the chat.

Mmmmm. I am off to my volunteering and will make sure cake features at some point. Thinking of you all today, Rudy.

Off to meet my sis, niece and nephew today at Hampton court, for a jaunt round the playground and getting lost in the maze. Frankly I could do without yet another day out, but shall look forward to a curry this evening. May try to incorporate cake, but wheat problem is bothersome at the moment so probably should be good...

Monty, DD2's new school shirts haven't even arrived yet.

Indulged in kip rather than Ladyjog and must now address the issue of the written word. And then try to generate some new work.

More to the point, Rudy, all love and good thoughts.

Re thread - MrsS suggested 'somebody left my crepe out in the rain'

Lurkers and newbies, please stay. I know we all appear v close and that many dramas erupt in our lives and that it must be hard to break in - but really we very much like it when they do. Flora what's the AP update?

I am sending you virtual cake, Rudy. Coffee and walnut, because it is my favourite, but also raspberry and white chocolate, which seems to be everyone else's. And holding thumbs for you all.

DD2 has been showing signs of social anxiety. I'm afraid I have dealt with this possibly too robustly - eg if you don't speak to the waiter yourself, you are going to go hungry. But I am not sure how much of it is genuine and how much she is aping her new best friend who seems to have every syndrome going. I am also aware that friend's parents have been robust with her. DD2 was in the car when her friend announced that she was pansexual. Friend's father apparently said "Don't be fucking ridiculous", and that was that.

Sorry, Stropps, that sounds trite, against what you've had to deal with (DD2 is nowhere near going through what your DD has). But I wonder if there is a happy medium between our parents' approach and today's. And you have done so much for your DD. One day she will realise.

I am drivelling now. I'll shut up.

MrsS, I just got a funny look from another dogwalker because I did actually lol at your dd's friend's dad's comment.

MrsS, I think it is really hard to know what to do for the best re anxiety.
I tend to take my lead from DD and if she genuinely is anxious, I don't push it. DH is less good at picking up on her cues She can be this strange combination of very bubbly, friendly and outspoken in lots of situations, yet genuinely frozen or worse in others

Off to meet outlaws for lunch soon. DH has already left with DS to take him up to where work experience will be - in the city

Rudy, I am thinking of you and yours xxx

DD2 has elements of it, and I agree it is very hard to know how to deal..

I think the thing for us was, we had never picked up on any signs at all previously - she competed in gym comps which are really scary with proper judges and 100's of parents watching from the age of 5/6 FGS.
She always hung at the back of school shows (until doing a dance routine in Y6!) and wouldn't get the bus to her friends (end of our road to end of ours) in Y6, but did a school choir solo in Y7...

These things are so complicated. It's not just what you have, it's how you deal with it. It is very hard to know what to do when there is a lot of aggression and verbal abuse involved, and when the person concerned is adamant that they don't want to access any of the help that is normally offered to people with whatever condition it is that they have, and repeatedly dig themselves into deeper and deeper holes. It is also, in my mind at least, different once the person is legally an adult. After all, how much of that kind of behaviour would you tolerate from a partner under similar circs? I suspect that this is why some people end up homeless. These are the kind of thoughts that keep me awake at night at the moment. With good reason.

Well, that was random.

Ambling along the road in my lunch-break, off to the cashpoint, I glanced inside a café, and who did I spy sitting there? Our very own Molly! Waiting for some GN friends, no less (yes, readers, she has other crepey pals). Nice to see you, Molly, albeit briefly, and hope you enjoyed your meet-up.

Stropps that is where my administrator hot with her DD - in the end she told her to leave. It wasn't easy for sometime but they now have a good relationship. Whilst her DD left my admin always made sure avenues of communication were open and she never pushed it.

I think it's very hard, I tend to be of the 'get on with it' school which is odd as I lack self esteem by the bucketload do know exactly what ds is talking about - but maybe that's why - it's too close to home and I don't know how to solve it.

Oh Rudy - so glad he is okay. I guess one day at a time for now. Many people manage medication everyday, just need some time to adjust.

Much love to you all.

Oh Rudy
So pleased to heat it sounds positive and manageable even if it means life long meds. Science is always adancing so who knows what thet might come up with in the future anyway. Hopefully you can relax a tiny bit now?

Just done my duty and went to meet the outlaws for lunch - was actually quite a nice whole family outing, 3 hours was just perfect

Oh Rudy, bless you, you must be absolutely shattered. I'm so glad that ds is doing well. There will be time enough to process everything over the coming days. Now rest!

Monty, I meant to say: lovely news about your ds's progress - and well done to him and you for managing 6 months of practice. Sounds as though he has cracked it!

Rudy - I am not surprised you are exhausted. But pleased to hear somewhat better news from you.

Rudy, you have been through the mill - huge hugs to you all.

Rudy, that sounds positive, and manageable is good. Have a glass of wine and a rest. Wishing him all the best for a speedy recovery. Xxx

Rudy I am so relieved to hear that the treatment has helped and that DS is presumably stable and recovering. Future meds and checkups can be managed, and won't feel so alien after a while. Please do get some rest. xx

I don't feel knowledgeable enough to contribute on the anxiety/MH topic. I just know that as a mother, I struggle terribly with when to do 'nurturing' and when to do 'tough love' in any situation. I find myself losing patience with people who refuse help, but that's probably part of the condition isn't it? Strength to you Stropps Your hunches about your DD are usually spot on. Trust in your instinct.

Cake wise, I love lemon drizzle, brownies, Victoria sponge and stuffed monkey. A slice of each should suffice

Have had a morning, maxing out the credit card for DS2's uni haul. DSis thinks I should only go to Wilko. I did very well at Tesco, actually. DSis has forgotten that I have put one through Uni already...along with the two well- meaning but highly irritating strangers in Tesco who felt they had to keep coming up to me and DS with "advice" about how they'd been though it and that we only need two plates and a can opener.... I just smiled beatifically, wishing they would just mind their own and go away. However thrifty one is..the entire experience is going to bankrupt us anyway.

I have also taken delivery of the dresses but am procrastinating about trying anything on..

What's stuffed monkey cake??

I rashly offered to take DD1 out for lunch, and then DD2 came home so it was both. Fortunately they were satisfied with the newish veggie/vegan caff near here so it was £12 for the three of us

Rudy, so glad that the last horrendous week is now over and you are moving forward, albeit slowly with DS. Hugs and kisses to you all, it's been so tough for everyone.

CV, congratulations, Manager Ma'am.

Stropps, would echo what Rose says: your instincts are usually good with DD, so go with that. I would offer you an empty house up here, but I know you have to be back at school.

Rose, I loved all the dresses - just Try them on. I used to have an hour glass figure, but over indulgence with cakes has put paid to that - sigh.

Crem, how is DDad today? And how are your APs, Flora?

Herbs, DD has taken PFBDGS on the Metro to the coast today: it's all he has wanted to do this holiday; it's not the coast, it's the transport. I think he would get on well with your DS.

I have just received the itinerary from our friends in Santa Rosa for our visit there next week: it seems to involve a lot of wine tasting and eating. Plus a visit to the Jack London State Park (more eating at the Jack London Saloon), River's End Restaurant - could that be more food? We fly on Tuesday, stay overnight in San Francisco and then drive to Santa Rosa the following morning. Aaah, can't wait.

Hope you get some rest, Rudy

Another teenage party here tonight. I'm a sucker, aren't I? Still last one until next summer....

Lovely walk today, just me and fab dog, up on the Downs. Perfect antidote to frenetic family holiday and being crammed in close proximity to 'loved ones' all week